Unconditional Love
by kishtrethya
Summary: A Golden Pair drabble in which Oishi thinks about pets. Shonen-ai, OishiKikumaru


Author's Note: Just a little Golden Pair drabble. Constructive criticism is welcome, especially because I haven't seen much TeniPuri anime yet. Tell me if any of my facts are incorrect!

Gomen nasai-A polite way to say "I'm sorry", Gomen-An informal apology

Unconditional Love

Oishi Syuichiroh walked into his bedroom, placed his tennis bag neatly in the closet, put his backpack full of homework on his desk, and went to feed his fish.

He smiled at them through the glass, sitting down on the side of his bed. "Hello again, fish," he said softly, not wanting to disturb them. "Was everything all right while I was gone?"

The fish, of course, gave no reply, but continued to swim in soothing patterns around the tank.

Oishi chuckled. Of course the fish never answered, but he liked to think that they missed him when he was at school. The fish were all congregated near the top of the tank now, waiting for their food.

"Gomen nasai," he apologized to them. "I had a dentist appointment after school, which is why I was late. Here's your food." He didn't like making them wait; they knew his schedule pretty well and seemed to enjoy their owner's reliability.

Oishi picked up the little cylinder of fish food and sprinkled it into the tank. Buchou-fish (and Fuji-fish, who followed him everywhere) got the biggest pieces, as always. Kaidoh-fish and Momo-fish squabbled over a particular piece that they both wanted. And Kikumaru-fish, as always, darted from piece to piece, going from one side of the tank to the other.

Oishi laughed a little. Kikumaru-fish probably got more food than anyone else, and more exercise as well.

He watched the fish some more, making sure none of them looked ill. They all looked fine, colorful and active.

Oishi, for some reason, started thinking of Karupin, Echizen's cat. He certainly loved his fish, and his fish appreciated their regular feedings, but the cat was different, somehow. He'd seen the Himalayan several times, mostly when Eiji had insisted on walking home with Momoshiro and Echizen.

The cat had greeted Ryoma as he walked in the door, and made little impatient cat noises until the young tennis player picked him up. Echizen had invited them in for a drink on a particular occasion, at his mother's suggestion. Karupin had followed them into the kitchen, seemingly put out at having been set down on the ground. The cat paid only a small amount of attention to the other Seigaku players (despite Eiji's efforts to entice him) and just stuck close to Echizen, rubbing against his legs and getting underfoot. Karupin jumped into his owner's lap as soon as the boy sat down, causing them all to laugh. It was as though the cat loved Ryoma unconditionally, in a way fish couldn't.

It would be nice, Oishi reflected, to have a pet like that. He gazed into his fish tank and thought that it would be a good thing to have fish and, perhaps, something more cuddly. Something that would follow him around and lay in his lap. A pet that would greet him when he got home, and would love him unconditionally. Perhaps someday he would have a pet like that.

Of course, Oishi thought, a pet like that would probably eat his fish.

Just then, he heard his mother call up to him, "Syuichiroh! Kikumaru-kun is here!"

"Thank you, mother!" he replied, and was just getting up to greet his doubles partner when his bedroom door burst open. Oishi was literally tackled and hugged, very enthusiastically, and was knocked back onto the bed.

"Nya, Oishi!" Eiji exclaimed, his arms still wrapped around his partner. "I got twenty laps today and you weren't there to run them with me!"

"Gomen, Eiji," Oishi said with a smile. "I had a dentist appointment, or I would have stayed with you. Did you walk home with Echizen and Momo?"

"Yes!" Eiji told him, then blinked cutely. "Not nearly so fun as walking home with you, though, nya!"

Oishi ruffled the other boy's hair affectionately. "It's good to hear that you think so."

Eiji yawned, reminding Oishi of someone else for a moment. "I'm tired. Running without Oishi is harder, nya."

"You can take a nap if you want to, before we do homework," Oishi said.

Eiji glomped the vice captain again. "That would be good!"

When Oishi made as if to get up, Eiji tugged on his sleeve. "You have to be tired, too!"

Oishi knew he looked confused. "Why? I didn't have to run laps."

"Well," Eiji said, explaining his rationale, "I always get tired when I go to the dentist. So you should take a nap too, Oishi!"

Oishi couldn't contain a smile. "All right. I guess I am a bit tired, too," he acknowledged.

Eiji yawned again, cuddling against his partner's shoulder. "I knew it, nya." The redhead laid himself down across Oishi's lap and sighed contentedly.

All of a sudden, Oishi remembered why he didn't need another pet. He already had as much unconditional love as he needed.

Besides, Eiji would never try to eat his fish.


End file.
